Questions of Parentage
by theunknownvoice
Summary: Black Canary finds out she has a son.  The truth behind Damage's parentage. Read and Review.


Questions of Parentage

By: theunknownvoice

Disclaimer: All characters are property of DC Comics.

A/N: This is massively AU. Massively. Please read and review. Thanks.

The report lay spread out in front of her.

A son. She, Dinah Lance, had a son, a biological son.

-

_It was a simple check-up procedure for a young Dinah._

"_Ms. Lance, the doctor will see you now."_

_Dinah tried to smile at the pretty nurse but she couldn't. It was women like that made people think women were weak. Of course, Dinah wasn't conceding anything._

_Maybe working out with the boys was taking its toll on her._

_If Barry, or Hal tried to protect her again she was going to beat them where the sun don't shine. Of course they weren't as bad as Ollie._

"_Oh Miss Lance," Doctor Faulkner greeted her casually. "We just need to prep you for the surgery."_

_She had come in for pain on the right side of her body and surgery._

"_I don't understand."_

"_You're appendix is inflamed Ms. Lance. We have to remove it immediately."_

"_How long will I be in the hospital for?"_

"_A few days."_

"_I thought this was a regular check-up. People will wonder where I am and the shop can't run itself."_

"_I understand Ms. Lance feel free to use my phone."_

_Dinah nodded before picking up the receiver._

-

She glanced back at the paperwork. There could be no mistake considering the source of this information was Barbara. Oracle never got things like this wrong.

The truth was sickening though. Her son wasn't created out of love instead he was to be a science experiment, a genetically engineered weapon.

When she had first met the kid she had been one of the many wondering who his real parents were. The kid had great abilities. He was strong and slightly cocky. He was reckless—he would learn that lesson the hard way. But most of all he was a good kid.

Dinah had known that the odds were good that he could be anyone's child except for hers. She didn't remember ever being pregnant. No, she had just assumed.

All this time and she had thought—

It didn't matter. She couldn't change what had happened.

She had a son. A son other than Roy who she considered her own.

She had wanted children. She had wanted a home, a family, and kids but she had wanted it on her own terms. She didn't expect the picture perfect family with a gorgeous husband, 2.5 kids, a dog, and a white picket fence. She was more practical than that.

She wanted it but not like this. Not with a son she hadn't had the opportunity to raise. A boy who had needed her and she hadn't been there.

-

_Surgery._

_This was nuts. She faced down Starro, Control Freak, being body snatched, catching Ollie flirting with another woman and she was afraid of surgery._

_This was ridiculous._

_The sharp prick of the needle and she felt the drugs coursing through her body. _

_Don't sleep. Don't sleep. She didn't want to give into the drug. She could stay awake even with the anesthetic in her blood._

_When she woke she found three pairs of eyes looking on her._

"_You awake pretty bird?"_

_She gazed up at the familiar pair of green eyes._

"_What are you three doing here?"_

"_Figured you needed some support and someone had to come to keep these two in line," Barry replied his blue eyes were laughing._

_Dinah laughed as Hal and Ollie glared at their friend._

"_How you feeling better?"_

_Hal's brown eyes were worried as he asked._

"_Good, glad you guys are here. My mom's watching the shop."_

"_I bet the older pretty bird loves that," Ollie said smirking._

"_Where's Roy at?"_

"_Spending time with the ghoul and his chums."_

"_He wanted to come but Ollie thought that it might be to hard for him," Barry said._

"_That kid's tough as nails just like his old man," Ollie said._

_Dinah didn't know what to say to that._

"_So how'd you're surgery go? I had one a few months back when I hurt myself at Ferris."_

_Dinah smiled gratefully at Hal. At least the conversation had been changed before Ollie and Barry discussed differences in parenting._

-

Part of her wanted to hunt down those scientists one by one and rip them to shreds. They had taken her cells, her eggs. They had taken pieces of her and fused them in a test tube and then…she didn't want to even comprehend that another woman had carried her son. Another woman had thought Dinah's baby as her own and that woman was murdered for it.

-

"_Dinah?"_

"_What, Mom I'm busy."_

_Her mother was always someone to never understand the concept of personal space._

"_Dear let me help you arrange the flowers."_

"_Mother, the shop belongs me now."_

"_I know but I can't gossip with you just standing around."_

_Dinah rolled her eyes but said nothing as her mother worked._

"_I just got off the phone with Wes."_

"_How is Uncle Wes?"_

"_He's fine. He talked to Al. Mary's expecting."_

_Dinah almost dropped the plant she was holding._

"_Aunt Mary said she and Uncle Al were having a hard time conceiving."_

"_Mary took it into her head to go to one of those new fangled fertility clinics. Said it worked like a charm."_

"_We should send her some flowers."_

"_That's a wonderful idea."_

"_Hey Mom, you make better arrangements than I do, why don't you go do it?"_

_Her mother smiled as she began to place together the bouquet._

"_Congratulations Aunt Mary and thanks for giving me an excuse to get her out of my hair," Dinah quietly toasted her absent Aunt._

-

There was no fathoming the situation. There was also the fact of who the father was. She wasn't angry that it had been _him._ Far from it. It was just that—she had never thought of him like that. Or if she had she had dismissed it. He was one of her best friends. He was one of Ollie's best friends.

-

_It was another night at the League's current headquarters. Dinah had to serve on monitor duty and as the on-call. It wasn't that she minded. Seattle and Star City, Ollie and being Black Canary, it wasn't like her life was easy._

"_Hey Dinah."_

"_Hi Dinah."_

_Dinah turned back and glanced at the two men entering the headquarters._

"_Barry? Hal? What are you guys doing here?"_

"_Fighting with Iris."_

"_Fighting with Carol."_

"_At the same time?" she asked._

"_I'll probably go home soon but I just wanted to get away before Iris or I said something that we would regret latter," Barry answered._

"_I just wanted out of Coast City and to avoid not just Carol's phone calls but Ollie's as well. If I have to hear one more that the world is going to hell I might strangle him," Hal replied._

_Dinah could see his point there. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate Ollie's crusader mode but he had been rather committed lately. Of course she didn't know if it was the cause he was devoted to or the new woman he worked with._

"_So what you two going to do?"_

_She really wanted to know. It was lonely watching the monitors. Not that she didn't mind the solitude but after seeing her two friends she decided that she wanted to company._

"_I'm going to go beg Iris's forgiveness. Mind if I snag a few flowers from your shop?"_

"_No, go ahead."_

"_Good luck Barry," Hal added as the Flash streaked out._

"_So what are you going to do hot-shot?"_

"_Me? Well, I figured I might as well sleep here. Gives me time to keep my favorite bird company."_

"_I didn't know Robin was around."_

_Hal smirked at Dinah throwing a pillow made from his ring at her._

-

She drove to New York the next morning. Sin was with Ollie and she had begged Barbara to give her time to talk to her son and her son's father.

"_Please Babs, let me tell them. Please."_

"_Dinah, I don't think that—"_

"_Barbara, this is my son and his father—is my friend. Let me tell them."_

_Oracle had no choice but to relent._

She pulled up to the brownstone quietly.

This was it.

"Hey Kiddo what are you doing here?"

Dinah turned to see the older Wildcat watching her. It was obvious that he had been working out.

"Just came for a visit Uncle Ted. How's it going?"

"You know Jay and Allen are playing the fatherly types while I just train the kids to fight. But they're getting there. I haven't seen you since we all worked together a couple of months ago."

"Figured it was time for a visit."

"Everything alright kid? You ain't having trouble with that archer of yours or that team of yours?"

"Ollie and I are fine. As for the League, it's great."

"Why you here kid?"

She could see him as they entered the house. He was trying to eat breakfast through the mask that covered his face. Uncle Al's mask hid the scars. The scars he had gained from Zoom.

If she ever got a hold of that insane scientist she would kill him for hurting her son.

Her son. She didn't know him that well. She had heard about his anger. How could she tell him?

Roy knew him well but Roy hadn't spoken to him in years. The only people that might be able to understand him were in this house.

"Can I talk to you, Uncle Allen, Uncle Jay and Jesse alone?"

-

_Zero Hour. It was hell on earth. The universes were collapsing and time was unraveling. Time was unraveling._

_She could feel the past begin to shift and change._

_Parallex._

_Ollie wouldn't talk about having to shoot Hal._

_How could Ollie shoot him and why did Hal do this?_

_She remembered the horrors of Coast City. The city was destroyed and she had been there when Hal had come sobbing._

_She had comforted her friend but this—_

_She could not justify this._

_They needed a way to restart time. The shift in the universe was making it impossible for things to go correctly._

"_Damage, you're are one hope for the spark."_

_It was then she saw the kid. He was young and she could tell he doubted his ability. Brown eyes and hair and a cocky smirk. He remaindered her of—a friend._

"_Come on kid, don't doubt yourself. You can do it," Dinah said._

_Grant Emerson smirked in reply._

_Maybe the world would be a better place if it had kids like this in it._

­-

Dinah relayed the information as quickly as she could.

"You have to tell him Dinah," Jay said after she finished telling the story.

"I don't know if Grant can handle it right now. He's been through a lot," Jesse said.

She had wanted Rick there with her but he was out of the house at the moment. Instead here she was shanghaied but she was the only one who knew Grant well enough.

"What do you suggest I do Jesse?" Dinah asked.

"Tell him when he's in a better place."

"It could take years for the kid to be in a better place. And besides kiddo you never told us who the father was," Ted added.

Dinah glanced at the floor. "He's a friend. His specimens must have been harvested separately than mine."

"A friend? Like a villain? No Grant definitely doesn't need to know that," Jesse said.

"Not a villain, just an old friend. He's one of my closest friends."

"So it's not Green Arrow," Alan said breaking his silence.

"No….but who it is will make it difficult for Ollie to understand."

-

She had watched Grant for a while and gossiped with Power Girl and the other girls before deciding to leave. She had left without saying a word to him. That had been three days ago.

"Hey Dinah, you in your office?"

"Unfortunately, what can I do for you Roy."

Roy marched in the office covered in what appeared to be tapioca.

"What happened to you?" Dinah asked trying to keep a straight face.

"Three words: Lian and Sin."

Dinah merely rose an eyebrow.

"I invaded their combat lesson with Conner. He was teaching them hand-to-hand. Not that I mind. It's better Lian learns a little self-defense but Conner's a nut for a teacher. I told Conner and Mia under no circumstances were they to continue giving the girls lessons or at least Lian and this is what happened to me."

"They have to learn sometime Roy."

"But Lian's still a baby. I mean if it was your kid would you want them learning that?"

Dinah frowned an image of a seventeen year old boy laying in a hospital bed his face scarred beyond recognition. The boy had never formally been trained. He had watched as his team was decimated and he was supposed to die himself. Instead now he had to live with his face forever behind a mask.

"Dinah!"

"What?"

"You dazed off."

"Sorry Roy, I was just thinking."

"Alright out with it. Something's been bothering you. Is it Ollie?"

"Why would you think that?"

"He's been bitching at me that you haven't been returning his calls."

"I've been busy."

"Dinah, come on you know you can tell me."

She hesitated for a moment. But this was Roy and he was the closest thing she had to a son.

"Barbara gave me some information. I have a son, Roy. I have a biological son."

-

"How you doing? I mean with everything?"

Roy had come to pick up Lian who was currently hanging out with her beloved "Aunt" Mia. Mia didn't mind babysitting and the two were playing a variety of practical jokes on the unsuspecting Uncle Conner.

Ollie continued stirring his chili. The Queen top secret family recipe was being prepared for the romantic dinner with his pretty bird.

"Not bad. What's up with you?"

"Come on Ollie, you know you can talk to me. It's not like I'm asking you to open up."

"Nope, that's Conner's job. Do you think this chili is hot enough?"

"You've got to be kidding me. You want to talk about the chili with all the stuff that's going on with Dinah?"

"Dinah and I are good. We've mended our relationship. We've never been happier."

"So you're okay that Dinah has a son with Hal of all people?"

"What the hell are you talking about Junior? What's this about the pretty bird and lantern?"

Realization dawned on Roy instantly.

"Ollie, I think Dinah better tell you. Lian, sweetie, it's time to go."

"Roy get back here. ROY!"

-.

It was supposed to be a romantic dinner but already it was becoming a fist fight. Mia leaned her ear against the doorway listening.

"Mia what are you…"

"Shhhh! Come here Conner. Ollie and Dinah are fighting."

"Maybe we should just give them time to work it out."

"Don't you want to know what it's about."

"It's their business."

"Well, I want to know."

The shatter of breaking glass was heard throughout the house.

"HOW COULD YOU? HE'S MY BEST FRIEND!"

"Ollie, we didn't."

"All those years of yelling at me for cheating and you were doing my best friend on the side!"

"THAT'S NOT TRUE! I TOLD YOU! IT WAS ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION!"

"SO WHAT YOU AND HIM JUST HAVE A KID TOGETHER BECAUSE OF SCIENCE? GIVE ME A BREAK!"

"I don't have to take this!"

Mia jarred away from the door as Dinah came rushing out.

"I take it you two heard that?"

"It was pretty hard not to when you and Ollie were screaming like banshees," Mia said. "So was Lantern good?"

Conner glared at her before turning to Dinah.

"Dinah, do you need someone to take you home? You shouldn't be driving when you're upset."

"Thank you Conner but I'll be fine."

-

Ollie had drinking. Not that crappy cheap stuff. No good hard scotch that went down smooth and continued to stay there long after the last sip.

He glanced at the phone.

Of all the people to betray him it would have to be those two. Why the hell would they ever sleep together and have a son? That really jabbed at his quiver.

He picked up the phone and dialed down the familiar number.

"Ollie, do you know it's four o'clock California time."

"You're a son of a bitch Jordan. How could you screw Dinah?"

"Wait a minute…WHAT?! Ollie, you've been drinking too much."

"I always assumed that you and Dinah were just friends. But this really takes the cake."

"Ollie, I think you're conscious is plaguing you for cheating on Dinah so much."

Even half-awake Hal could form a good lie. Ollie seived.

"Alright wise guy answer me this, why the hell do you and Dinah have a son together?"

-

Dinah hated monitor duty but then again who liked it? She doubted even Bats did. She walked away from the screen for a while and made herself a cup of coffee.

It was nice to be in the Watchtower alone. There was nobody there to bother. In silence she could forget about Ollie. She sipped the coffee lightly. Mmmmm...that felt good. Nothing better than a warm glass of coffee.

"Hey Dinah."

Dinah's cup crashed to the ground. So much for being alone.

"Hal! Don't do that!"

"Did I startle the Black Canary?" he asked smirking.

"You just had to jump out behind a doorway."

"You really are jumpy.

Dinah groaned, "What are you doing here?"

"Funny, I kind of want to know why I got a phone call from Ollie at four o'clock this morning claiming that I'm the father of your son. And then I got a phone call from Roy this afternoon telling me the same thing."

Dinah gulped. She should've known Ollie and Roy would talk to Hal.

"I'm so sorry Hal. I wanted to tell you myself."

"Dinah, correct me if I'm wrong but don't two people have to have sex to have a child together?"

"Not if they were illegally harvested."

"I think you better tell me the whole story."

-

Dinah found the monitor a perfect distraction from her teammate.

"So Grant Emerson?"

"Yes, I had the information verified. Barbara told me that she had checked it repeatedly before giving it to me."

"I really didn't expect this. In fact I expected to most likely never have kids."

"Didn't want them?" she asked surprised.

She had always assumed that Hal would want to settle down some day. He had always been close to Roy and Wally and it was slightly obvious that he wanted to be a father. But then again Hal was a lot like Ollie. Appearances could be deceiving. How Barry had ever become friends with these two was a big question. Because the only mask Barry ever wore was the one that came with his costume.

"Yeah, but being Green Lantern and a test pilot kind of rules all of that out. I could die tomorrow and then my kid would be without a father. It's not a pretty way to grow up believe me I know."

"I know what you mean. But when I found out I was glad it was you."

"Why was that?"

"You're one of my best friends."

He smiled. "You're one of mine too."

-

Hal felt his hand going numb.

"Dinah, you know you have a killer grip?"

"What? Oh, I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I get that you're nervous."

"How can you be so calm?"

"You're kidding right? I am fearless."

Dinah glared at him. "Now is not the time for jokes."

"Lighten up Dinah. There's nothing we can do but tell him. Once that's done the rest is in his hands."

"Easy for you to say."

"Dinah, who wouldn't want to have you for a mother? I mean you would be the best looking mom on the block. Besides that there's the fact that you are understanding and I've seen you deal with the most angry of people. Dinah, you'll be a good mother."

"But I couldn't protect him. Hal, he's been through a lot and I never knew that he existed."

"Dinah's it's not your fault."

"I know it's just—"

"Dinah, he's a good kid. Remember what Roy told us."

"Yeah, I just wish I knew my own son."

Damage walked into the room. The rest of JSA were being tight lipped about why he was wanted in the meeting room.

Why he was there he didn't know. It never made since. It got even more confusing when he spotted Green Lantern and Black Canary waiting for him.

"I didn't blow anything up."

Hal raised an eyebrow. "I doubt you did."

"Then why am I here?"

"Canary and I want to talk to you."

"Grant, could you please sit down," Dinah said finding her voice.

Damage grudgingly took his seat. "What's the deal then? Is the League now butting into the JSA's business? Or are you two here to lecture me about entering Atlanta?"

"We heard about that. But a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. You already know you own your actions," Hal replied.

"Never thought I'd hear that from a leaguer."

"Guess we're all not as cut and dry as you'd like to think."

Dinah listened to them half present and half in her mind. She didn't know how to tell him. What if he didn't want to know? What if...

No, Hal was right. They had to tell him and then it was his choice.

"Grant, you remember a few years ago when the DNA testing was done on you determining who you're parents are?" Dinah asked her voice soft.

"Yeah, what about it?"

"The testing was wrong. Mary did give birth to you but her and Al weren't your biological parents..."

"What Dinah is trying to say is—"

"No Hal, let me tell him. Grant, Mary went to a fertility clinic and—Grant you're my son. Mine and Hal's."

-

Damage was angry. Well angrier than usual.

Courtney refused to speak to him and so did Maxine. Power Girl said it was just mood swings but Nate wasn't so sure.

He had heard bits and pieces about Damage's past. The guy had major issues not like Nate didn't have issues of his own but with Grant it was deeper.

They had become friends of a sort and Nate knew that he should at least say something.

"Heard about what happened."

Grant grunted in response.

"You know it's not Canary and GL's fault. They admitted to not knowing about you."

"Like that's any excuse," Grant snapped back.

"Don't you want to know them?"

"What's there to know?"

Nate shook his head. What was he the resident shrink?

"You're loss then."

"What the hell that supposed to mean Heywood?"

"Look I got kids to take care of. I don't have time for this. But maybe you should just consider that I know where you're coming from."

"Like hell you do!"

"Get your head out of the dirt Emerson. Both my parents are dead. You, however, have both yours wanting to know you. I'd give my right arm to spend time with my Mom. What's your excuse?"

Nate could hear the kids screaming the distance. He had better hurry before they destroyed HQ or pulled Tommy's tail again.

-

Dinah sat at her desk at the Watchtower. She wasn't enjoying this. It wasn't fun to be the leader sometimes. Especially when it involved bills and accounting.

She barely heard her door slam open.

"What the—Grant?"

"I take it you're surprised to see me."

She hated the mask. She got it but she couldn't see his expression and his voice was pretty unreadable.

"Understatement of the century."

"I talked to GL earlier today."

"Alan?"

"No, Hal. I told him that I would spend some time with him. Figured I'd give you the same opportunity."

"I thought you didn't want to spend time with either of us."

"You're just lucky that I have a friend I'll listen to."

She glanced at her paperwork. Did she really want to spend all afternoon here?

"Want to get some lunch?"

"Where at?"

"Warriors. It's a Green Lantern inspired place and we can watch Hal loose poker to Alan."

"Don't expect me to get mushy."

"Please, you got half your DNA from me and the other half from a hotshot…I'd expect you to get cocky."

"Cocky I can do."

The End


End file.
